Google to provide local bus service information in Chennai and Hyderabad

Google currently offers Transit service in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, and Ahmedabad.

Google has expanded its Transit service to Chennai and Hyderabad. The internet firm will display information about the local bus services of Chennai and Hyderabad, on Google Maps.

For the uninitiated, Google Transit service helps users to plan a trip in a city, using public transport. Users can open Google Maps (Maps.Google.com) and search for directions for different places in the city. For instance, a user can check out the route/driving directions in Delhi - say, from Connaught Place to Red Fort on Mahatma Gandhi Marg, using Google Maps. The user will get two options. One will show the route/directions for cars, while the other option will be for public transport (local bus/rail).

The information classified under 'public transport' comes under the Google Transit service. In the case of Delhi, for instance, the Google Maps Transit feature suggests bus route numbers and the approximate time taken to reach Red Fort. It also suggests the station from where one can board the bus/train.

In an official blog post, the internet company mentions, "The launch of the local bus information service in Chennai and Hyderabad will not just help millions of commuters and visitors in the metros to explore public transportation options as they search for directions or locations, but also encourage alternatives to driving. This information is available both on Google Maps and Google Maps for mobile, enabling users to access the service even while on the move."

Other than Chennai and Hyderabad, Google offers Transit service in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, and Ahmedabad. In Delhi, Google has a tie-up with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), for public transport information. In Mumbai, it displays information regarding BEST bus routes and local trains. In Ahmedabad, Google has a tie-up with AMTS (Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Services).

Google Transit offers local public transport information for more than 450 cities in the world.